Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-02-03
Changes Recommended 10 Congress BY
the Public Printer.

1uc duuudl TtpOTl vi tue puUuc printer, MI.
Benedict, for the year ending June 30, has been
submitted to Congress In neatly printed pamph-
let OF ninety-four pages Mr. Benedict took ONCE
September l3 last, SO the report does not cover
any part OF the period during which he has per-
formed the duties OF the Office He says he found
the Office well equipped In many respects, and its
vast machinery generally in intelligent hands.
He says he is satisfied that many improvements
are necessary in the ofice and that much greater
economy is possible In conducting II. To this end
he calls attention to what he considers as serious
mechanical embarrassments.
MECHANICAL NEEDS.
One OF the greatest OF these deficiencies he
says, is lack OF convenient storage room contig-
uOuS to the main Office. This lack causes q large
expense in the renting OF two store-houses and
renders necessary the employment OF numerous
draft conyeyances and teams, with an extra force
OF employees, 10 haul and renaul printed matter
awaiting the bindery, which cannot be stored in
the main Office, owing TO lack or room and danger
to the building. This evil Is constantly growing
ana h-As hoped Congress will remeiy it without
delay. There Is also an urgent necessity for pro-
ytdtng new set OF boilers Tor furnishing heat and
power. The present boilers were placed In the
Ofice when was scarcely onethird OF its present
size; they have been in constant use for fourteen
years, and they are now entirely deficient i'm
capacity; and their continuous use, TO the degree
rendered necessary, Is believed TO be dangerous
both To life and property. During the recent cold
weather ii was impossible to furnish sufficient
heat in certain working divisions "a serious and
costly defect), and the Office is now dangerously
liable to be interrupted in its work by accident
to the boilers The demands for convenient stor-
age room and for better facilities for power and
heating, as well as Tor certain new type and ma
teria are represented to be Imperative. To secure
economy and at the same ume execute the neces-
sary work rs efficiently as possible, Mr. Benedict
says, the public printer must firmly check any
tendency TO extravaganza In the public printing
ana binding The mr. nIteen days, leave OF absence
this Office al the last session, he says has proved
a just and benencenI measure, and he urges the
adoption OF similar appropriation this year.
FoRTNIGHTLY PAYMENTS TO EMPLOYEES
SIT is my desire, he says, "tO meet long grecog-
nized necessity OF the Office in the matter OF the
fortnightly payment OF the employees. Under
present regulations payments are only made
monthly, TO the great Inconvenience OF many who
depend upon small wage for the support OF their
families There is no doubt that the adoption OF
Semi-monthly payments as now practiced in all
other departments and offices of the government
would be great convenience, as well as benent,
to many employees OF this Office enabling them TO
escape from habits OF credit-Duying, which are
highly detrimental to proper thrift and economy.
The employees OF the Government Printing office
are many OF them the hardest worked and poorest
paid servants OF the government, and they are
fully entitled to the consideration OF Congress.
The difficulty In the way OF sem1-monthiy pay
mentS seems to be the inSuflcency or the Public
Printers bond, owing to which ne is unable I'm
most cases, to draw from the Treasury at one
time an amount sufficient to pay the force even
arate payments, on different dates, are required
each month for a single complete payment OF the
force. With view or providing for semi-monthly
payments, 1t is recommended that the Public
Printers bond be increased from 100000 TO
$l25,OO0."
EXPENDITURES FOR PUBLIC PRINTING.
There were expended during the year covered by
the report g. 793, ,376.44. OF this amount 81 95e-
6l6.97 was expended for public printing and bind
ing, $47 5S52 "a for paper. s12 615O5 for the Con-
gressiOndi Record and $l4Ss7 % for Autograph
Ing and engraving, $64, 466 II for printing the
port OF the commissioner OF agriculture, 1854,
S3l, OF for printing the report OF the commits
SOner or agriculture, 1885, and $gO 11S5 for pub
ncattOn OF the tenth census reports.